contents
page 2-3
<--there -
here
page 4-5
Introduction page
page 6-7
Opening Screen
page 8-9
History Lession
page 10-11
Cherell Avery interview
page 12-13
Same but different
page 14-15
Quote
page 15-16
Timeline
page 18
Roman Empire, Travel from the east
page 19
Gothic, Ups and downs
page 20-21
Photo lines
page 22-23
Risk Interview
page 24-25
Psychology
ink
test
page 26-27
TheosOne interview
page 28-29
Graffiti
page 30-31
Roman & Medieval graffiti - Monikers & Kilroy Was Here
page 32-33
Gang graffiti
page 34-35
Modern graffiti
page 36-37
What is calligraffiti
page 38-39
Shoe
page 40-41
Sources
Petter Bratland 2013Visual communication research project
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Calligraffiti
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D i d y o u m e a n
C a l l i g r a p h i s t
graf·fi·ti
[ g r u h - f e e - t e e ]
1.
p l u r a l o f g r a f f i
-t o .
2.
( used with a plural verb )
markings, as initials, slogans, or
drawings, written, spray-painted,
or sketched on a sidewalk, wall
of a building or public
re-stroom, or the like: These
graffiti are evidence of the
neighborhood's decline.
3.
( used with a singular verb
) such markings as a whole or
as constituting a particular
group: Not much graffiti
ap-pears around here these days.
O r i g i n :
1850–55; < Italian, plural of
graffito incised inscription or
design, derivative with -ito -ite2
of graffiare to scratch, perhaps
influenced by presumed Latin
*graphīre to write; both
prob-ably derivative of Latin
graphi-um stylus < Greek grapheîon;
cf. graphic, grapho-, graft1
Related forms
graf·fi·tist,
noun
U s a g e n o t e
In formal speech and writing
graffiti takes a plural verb. In
less formal contexts it is
some-times considered a mass noun
and is used with a singular
verb. The singular graffito is
found mostly in archaeological
and other technical writing.
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http://dictionary.reference.com
cal·lig·ra·phy
[ k u h - l i g - r u h - f e e ]
noun
1.
fancy penmanship, especially highly
decorative handwriting, as with a
great many flourishes: She
appreciat-ed the calligraphy of the 18th century.
2.
h a n d w r i t i n g ; p e n m a n s h i p .
3.
the art of writing
beautiful-ly: He studied calligraphy
when he was a young man.
4.
a script, usually cursive,
al-though sometimes angular,
produced chiefly by brush,
es-pecially Chinese, Japanese, or
Ar-abic writing of high aesthetic value.
5.
Fine Arts. line or a group of lines
either derived from or resembling
letter forms and characterized by
qualities usually associated with
cursive writing, especially that
produced with a brush or pen.
Origin:
1 6 0 5 – 1 5 ; < G r e e k
kalligraphía beautiful writing.
1610s, from Gk. kaligraphia, from
kallos "beauty" + graphein "to
write" (see graph). Related:
Cal-ligraphic. The usual comb. form
in Gk. was kalli- "beautiful, fine,
happy, favorable;" kalo- was a
later, rarer alternative form.
The two arforms in them selves are hard to explain in one
word, there are som many aspects about them both that
should or not should be considered in risk of confusing or to
get dee in a long and heavy history lession, or for that matter,
a book. There are so many books written on both subjects,
each focusing on just small or wide parts trying to explain the
history, the ideas and philosophy, or how to perform them.
So to get the whole understanding for them both you would
have to study it for several years, and in the end you would
probably have more loose ends on your questions than what
you originally started up with. This is what I at least have
dis-covered, getting new questiones, answers and understanding.
In the beginning my main research questions was to
under-stand the main development of graffiti into calligraffiti. Why
or how writers of this urban artform, enviorments and
cul-tures got inspired of this respected and importaint arform
wide apart from the wallwrintings in an backalley or on your
local train.
c a l l i g r a f f i t i
I also wanted to research and understand calligraphy, it´s
origin, development, who have used it, how it have been
used. The journey from the East to the west, and maybe see
the connection to the graffiti writers this way.
Troughout my research several new and interesting facts
have occurred and i have been led away my roughly planned
path several times, although these sidesteps took time i have
found very interesting information that have not only helped
me highlight my research questions, but also helped me
cre-ate and support new claims about this subject.
I won´t go too deep into eighter the world of calligraphy or
graffiti, but hopefully give an easy understandig of how these
artforms occured, developed, and merged to people outside
this new and expressive artform.
The
Project
v i s u a l c o m m u n i c a t i o n r e s e a r c h
This project is about Calligraffiti. A product of two wide apart cultures.
From an urban arform bred out of peoples urge to get noticed and dicovered, to an
ancient artform, delveloped and respected trough 4000 years
v i s u a l c o m m u n i c a t i o n r e s e a r c h
Chinese lettering origins...
History Lession
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History Lession
6164history
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Chinese lettering origins...
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6164origins
In anchient China about
4000 years ago. Gia Gu
Wen, or Jia Gu Wen, are the
earliest kinds of Chinese
characters been
discov-ered. These where written
on bones and
turtle shells. It is not a fully
mature language, but many
of the pictograms used in
this language are precursors
to the later modern
Chi-nese written language.
The prime minister of the
Qin Dynasty in 221–206 BC
promoted a unified form of
writing based on old
inscrip-tions from previous states
before China was one, such
as the bonewritings, but also
several other languages and
scripts. Calligraphy works
from the Qin Dynasty are
higly evaluated by
calligra-phers troughout history.
The art
It was under the Han
Dynas-ty Calligraphy became an
arform, and was equally
val-uated as the art of painting.
There where many highly
regarded calligraphy works
from this time, but the
artists where humble and
did not care about fame
and recognition. The most
importaint was the art in
itself and not the artists. As
they reached a very high
level of art these works
and thougths became the
example and standards for
later great calligraphers.
Philosophy
Calligraphy was regarded
as the most abstract and
sublime art in the Chinese
culture, and it was said to be
the most revealing of ones
personality. The study of
calligraphy is a long prosess.
There where little space for
self expressionism, and you
should copy other masters
strokes and styles. When
writing, it is said that many
calligraphers would forget
worries and themselves, only
focusing their thoughts of
their art. This state of mind
are compared to Qigong,
witch is said to improve a
persons temper and improve
their well being.
Liang Hu
From the Han Dynasty
there is a story about Liang
Hu, a calligrapher, who
used to go to the resturant,
didn´t bring any money but
got paid by the visitors to
watch him write on the wall.
It is hard to find much
in-formation about Liang, but
the info i have found spread
between different pages
and books is also about a
Li-ang Hu, whitch was a highly
regarded calligrapher in the
imperial court, here he had
a importaint adminstrative
post. Later he was
appoint-ed a major for an army.
i n t e r v i e w :
c h e r r e l
a v e r y
10
send
t from my
iphone
There are similarities
between graffiti and
calligraphy as you say - the
development of styles
- but also the way the
learnt movements of the
writing arm/ hand leads
to the creation of new
and exciting letter shapes
through constant practise
and speed. I taught a young
graffiti artist and admired
his penmanship and ability
to manipulate the pen he
was far better with these
skills than many if my
advanced students !
I don’t condone public
defacement of property
by graffiti artists but
do appreciate their art
form. As a professional
calligrapher I have had
extensive training ( it
took a long time ) so
have a huge repertoire
of skills to turn to
for either formal work
or more expressive
lettering art. Whatever
I undertake - even free
work - is done with the
highest standards of
craftsmanship . This is the
main difference.
Graffiti artists don’t have
the skills to be formal
calligraphers but many
trained calligraphers would
be able turn their hand to
graffiti if they wanted to
I suggest you research
the work of brody
neunschwander ( Bruges),
Denis brown (Ireland) ,
thomas ingmire ( usa)and
Katherina Pieper ( Germany
) to see expressive lettering
artists/ calligraphers who
have had years of formal
training like myself.
I h o p e t h i s h e l p s .
B
e
s
t
w
i
s
h
e
s
-Cherrell-I was pleased to hear that you are interested in researching calligraphy.
I worked with a graffiti artist some years back on a youth project where we taught our different skills to participants who then created work for exhibition.
Some combined the calligraphy with the freer styles and stencilling, others chose to use the edged pens in an expressive way . It was a great success and I enjoyed trying out
spray cans and stencils myself. Our main aim was to help the kids to be able to express themselves visually, which they did.
Yes, I imagine that the fashion for urban style calligraphy may engage young people to look at historical letter forms and copy them .I was aware of the artist you mentioned .
One of the benefits of this is an increased awareness of proportions, weights and aesthetic appreciation by young people which may feed into visuals of the future. Maybe also
the understanding that results cannot be achieved instantly is a good lesson .
There are similarities between graffiti and calligraphy as you say - the development of styles - but also the way the learnt movements of the writing arm/ hand leads to the
creation of new and exciting letter shapes through constant practise and speed. I taught a young graffiti artist and admired his penmanship and ability to manipulate the pen
.he was far better with these skills than many if my advanced students !
I don’t condone public defacement of property by graffiti artists but do appreciate their art form. As a professional calligrapher I have had extensive training ( it took a long
D e a r P e t t e r
I was pleased to hear
that you are interested in
researching calligraphy.
I worked with a graffiti
artist some years back
on a youth project
where we taught our
different skills to
participants who then
created work for
exhibition.
Some combined the
calligraphy with
the freer styles and
stencilling, others
chose to use the edged
pens in an expressive way
. It was a great success
and I enjoyed trying out
spray cans and stencils
myself. Our main aim
was to help the kids
to be able to express
themselves visually,
which they did.
Yes, I imagine that the
fashion for urban style
calligraphy may engage
young people to look at
historical letter forms and
copy them.
I was aware of the artist
you mentioned .
One of the benefits
of this is an
increased awareness
of proportions,
weights and aesthetic
appreciation by young
people which may feed
into visuals of the
future. Maybe also
the understanding
that results cannot be
achieved instantly is a
good lesson .
Risk
T-kid
D
aim
CanT
w
o
same but
different
T-Kid 170 is probably the
last writer in the lineage
of the TDS, TFP, and IND's
stylemasters. He learned
from such masters as Tracy
168 and Padre Dos in the
1970s and started evolving
into his own style in the
'80s. His ability to draw
helped him immensely
when he started competing
with European writers
through the '90s. He
continues to paint around
the world.
http://www.complex.com/art- design/2013/02/the-50-greatest-nyc-graffiti-artists/t-kid-170
DAIM, born in Lueneburg,
Germany was soon drawn
to the nearby metropolis of
Hamburg by its tentacles
deeply enrooted within the
subculture scene. In 1989
he started his career as a
free artist and a spray can
virtuoso. Only one year
later he was commissioned
his first remittance work
and in 1992 the change of
aliases so important for a
graffiti artist took place. The
latter of course playing a
major role within modern
street calligraphy
International art- as well as
lecturing work soon led him
amongst the midst of
trans-national artist groups such
as GBF, SUK, FBI and FX.
Within those brood cells of
new styles and techniques
DAIM developed a diversity
of skills which enabled him
to go beyond his roots.
Concrete walls were more
and more replaced by
canvases while spray cans
from a hip hop shop were
now often amended by
mouse clicks in Photoshop
and Illustrator. Firstly,
two dimensional pictures
evolved into bafflingly three
dimensional graphics with
seemingly unlimited depths
and perspective only to
finally become sculptures
leaving the confinement of
flat surfaces entirely.
http://www.visualkontakt.com/p/ daim-graffiti.html
At the tender age of 7,
CAN2 had a driving need
to artistically improve his
desk at school as well as his
school books with his own
illustrations.
In 1983, his first fledgling
attempts at spraying
took place in his hometown
of Mainz.
His inspiration from the
very start originated in the
Mecca of Graffiti, the Bronx.
CAN2 represents the Bronx
style of the early 80s in his
view the only true graffiti
style from the start. CAN2
sprays letters that have a
dynamic impact.
Most of this spraying is
accomplished on walls.
His distinctive characters
have a diorama effect and
are markedly alive.
The difference between
his characters and those
of other sprayers are to be
found in the shading
and of course in his
distinctive style.
http://www.cantwo.com/
In 1983, his family moved to
Los Angeles, and 16-year-old
RISK enrolled at University
High School on the city’s
west side. RISK made the
high school his personal
canvas, tagging his name
everywhere during the day
and returning at night to
do pieces. He turned some
of his buddies onto graffiti
and started a crew, Prime
Crime Artists, with them.
In 1985, RISK was painting
in mid-city when RIVAL
approached him and asked
if he wanted to start a crew.
Just like that, West Coast
Artists (WCA) was born.
One night, RISK and fellow
writers RIVAL and MINER
were sitting on an overpass
above the Pasadena
Freeway just north of
downtown L.A. when RISK
decided to hit one of the
signs hanging over the
freeway. To get to the sign,
he had to shimmy across a
piece of wood supported
by two cables. His friends,
scared for his life, begged
him to come back to the
overpass. RISK didn’t listen,
and managed to get his
name up.
http://riskrock.com/biography/
B
ate
s
Tr
acy 168
C
ope 2
Zeph
yr
Dr
R
at
The Vietnam War was a
negative time for America,
and feeling the need to
balance his life, TRACY
168 would begin his career
and turn his talents into
something positive. Using
his drawing skills, unique
sense of color, style and
imagination, TRACY 168
would change whole,
lifeless subway cars into
vibrant, rolling rainbows.
These detailed illustrations
established scenery on
entire cars as part of the
graffiti culture. TRACY
168 would later describe
this form of expression as
Wild Style. “As the creator
of Wild Style, Wild Style
is whatever you do in
life done to the best of
your ability. If you’re not
the best, then find your
purpose, and be the best at
whatever it is you do. This
art form is what jazz is to
music. A moment in time
captured with the flair of
the streets. REAL LIFE! It
came from the hearts of the
people-US.” To the founder
of the crews, WANTED and
WILDSTYLE, the inspiration
to many writers, and one of
the architects of the
Graffiti Movement, Thank
you Tracy 168.
http://www.theoriginators.com/ aboutus/tracy-168/
Born Andrew Witten,
Zephyr began his art career
in 1977, painting his Zephyr
moniker on subway cars.
He was part of the first
wave of graffiti artists to
make the transition to
galleries, collectors, and
commercial work. In 1982
he was part of the original
group of artists to form the
FUN Gallery in Greenwich
Village, New York, which at
the time also included such
art icons as Futura 2000,
Kenny Scharf, Keith Haring,
and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
In 1983, his art was part of
an exhibition that toured
Japan which also included
Fab Five Freddy, Dominique
Philbert, Futura 2000, and
Dondi White. That same
year, Zephyr was hired by
Director Charlie Ahearn to
design and art direct the
title sequence for the first
hip-hop film, Wild Style, in
which he was also featured.
He is co-author of the 2001
biography Dondi White
Style Master General: The
Life of Graffiti Artist Dondi
White and in 2005, he
was included in the East
Village USA show held at
The New Museum. He has
been featured in the films
Style Wars, The Art of
Storytelling, and Bomb It.
http://www.artofthetitle.com/ designer/zephyr/
Dr. Rat (real name Ivar Vics)
was a well known dutch
graffiti-artist, and started
to be an almost mythical
figure when he died at the
early age of 21 years old.
His work can be considered
as groundbreaking in the
European graffitiscene,
working in a provo- and
punkcontext, focusing
heavily on themes like
mortality and pop-iconism.
This is a registration of him
painting in a alley next to
the famous Kalverstraat,
also known as the Pissteeg
(‘Pissalley’) made by
‘pirate-tv’-makers PKP TV.
http://www.12ozprophet.com/ bates/entry/dr.-rat-amsterdam-1981/
Cope2 is an American artist
of Puerto Rican decent.
Born in 1968, New York City
native Cope2’s paintings
have been exhibited in
solo and group exhibitions
in galleries and auctions
throughout the United
States and abroad. He is
a self-taught artist who
is a celebrated figure for
over 30 years in the graffiti
art culture. One of New
York City’s most legendary
prolific graffiti artists, he
began tagging his name in
the South Bronx in 1978.
He developed his style in
the subways and streets of
the Bronx creating graffiti
productions throughout the
1980’s and 1990’s achieving
international recognition
for his distinctive style. In
recent years Cope2 has
been commissioned by
Time Magazine, Converse
and designed a full
collection for Adidas. He
has worked with Steiner
Sports collaborating with
the New York Yankees’
Derek Jeter producing
graffiti on memorabilia.
His work has even crossed
into the virtual realm with
appearances in video games
such as Mark Eckos: Getting
up and Rockstar Games:
Grand Theft Auto IV. Today,
you can catch Cope2
in the studio painting,
bringing his raw energy
into abstract masterpieces,
intertwined with his
trademark bubble letters
and tags on canvases.
He has also delved into
curating successful group
exhibitions. Cope2 crosses
between art world,
mainstream and street
culture alike.
http://cope2art.com/#/bio/
Bates began writing graffiti
in his early teens and
despite his tender age
soon became one of the
most prolific artists within
Copenhagen’s budding
hip-hop scene of the mid
1980-ties. Already in 1989 he
was considered among the
leading elite of European
graffiti artists – including
names such as Loomit from
Germany, Mode 2 and
Bando from Paris, Delta and
Shoe from Amsterdam.
With the
international-ization of the European
graffiti of the early
1990-ties the rumor of Bates
stylistic elegance spread
even further and he soon
became of the most
sought after artists for
the big venues around the
continent and overseas.
In 1998 he was the second
artist to be featured in
On the Run’s biographical
series on international
graffiti writers.
In his graffiti art Bates
combines a traditionalist
New York feeling for
style – with an emphasis
on a logic flow of letters,
dynamic and swinging
rhythms of bars and arrows
– with a European sense of
technique, of sharp lines,
with a graphic verve and an
near flawless can control.
http://www.hlgallery.se/bates/
